Blood pressure variability (BPV) is a multifaceted phenomenon, which was proven to affect the cardiovascular risk in arterial hypertension (AH) patients. Numerous BPV characteristics can be obtained during 24-hour blood pressure monitoring, but the question about optimal parameters, which precisely reflect the stage of target organ damage and AH clinical outcomes is still relevant.
The study aimed to establish the relation between different BPV parameters and left ventricle (LV) myocardial remodeling, hypertensive retinopathy in young men with high normal blood pressure and the 1st grade of hypertension.
139 men, age 18–35 years (mean age — 22.4±4.3) were included into the study. Patients were divided into 3 groups according to the level of office: BP: men with normal BP (n=57), men with high normal blood pressure (n=35), men with the 1st grade of AH (n=47). All men underwent 24-hour BP monitoring with general BPV parameters evaluation, and a standard transthoracic echocardiography with LV remodeling characteristics assessment.
Increasing night systolic BPV in patients with high normal blood pressure and the 1st grade of AH significantly and strongly correlates with LV myocardial mass (R=0,924) and LV myocardial mass index (R=0.531). No relation between prevalence of hypertensive retinopathy and BPV parameters were established.
20% of men with high normal blood pressure and the 1st grade of AH have evidence of high BPV. Parameters of night BPV can be usefull as a predictive factor for cardiovascular risk assessment according to its correspondence with ventricular remodeling parameters.